The course project provides students with an opportunity to research any topic, theme, issue, or development in the field of African American studies. Students will define a research topic and line of inquiry, conduct independent research to analyze primary and secondary sources from multiple disciplines, and develop an evidence based written argument. Students should apply the tools African American studies scholars embrace, including analyzing multiple perspectives and integrating evidence from multiple disciplines (e.g. history, art, music, political science). Each student’s project should have a word count of 1200-1500 ords and must be anchored in at least 4 sources, at least two of which and potentially all of which are secondary sources that reveal distinct and differentiated perspectives on the topic the student selects. Citations must follow an accepted bibliographic citation style (MLA). Students must attest that the written argument submitted is their own work. In your written argument, you should do the following:
1. Make a defensible claim that establishes a line of reasoning.
2. Support your argument using credible evidence strategically selected from multiple sources.
a. Evidence must be drawn from at least four different sources.
b. At least two secondary sources must be used and cited.
c. All sources used in your written argument must be cited using appropriate bibliographic citations (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
3. Demonstrate how the evidence supports the line of reasoning developed in the argument. Your line of reasoning should drive the selection and quantity of evidence needed to effectively support your argument. A well supported argument requires multiple pieces of evidence that explore all facets of the line of reasoning.
4. Explain how the perspectives of at least two sources provide greater nuance in understanding the selected project topic when placed in dialogue with each other.
5. Type the following: attestation at the bottom of your written argument: I attest that the submission is entirely my own work, and I have followed the instructions for this submission to the best of my ability.
These are my research questions:
Are there correlations between socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and education, and involvement in the criminal justice system within the Black population?
What are the main factors contributing to disparities in crime rates among different racial groups?
How do sentencing guidelines and policies contribute to the overrepresentation of Black
individuals in prisons, and what reforms have been proposed to address this issue?
This is my thesis: The overrepresentation of Black individuals in the United States criminal justice system is primarily driven by socioeconomic factors such as poverty and education, worsened by the over-policing of communities with significant Black populations, discriminatory policies and sentencing guidelines, ultimately forcing Black individuals and communities to face the repercussions of the system.
Primary citation #1: Racial Disparities in U.S. jails
https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2023/05/racial-
disparities-persist-in-many-us-jails#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20that
%20Black, as%20incarceration%20rather%20than%20probation.
Primary citation #2: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/race-and-hispanic-origin-victims-and-
offenders-2012-15#0-0
Primary citation #3: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR):
https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2022-crime-in-the-nation-
#3
Notes
statistics
secondary citation #4: National Institute of Justice (NIJ):
https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/race-trust-and-police-legitimacy
Secondary citation #5: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU):
Secondary citation #6: How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety
https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/one-in-five-how-mass-incarceration-
deepens-inequality-and-harms-public-safety/
